This section is to offer free stuff, for you to use for personal use only. I hope you enjoy the largesse.

Fabric & Trim Swatchbook Organizers

The first section includes pdf files that you can print out and use for your personal fabric & trim stashes.

How to Use:

1. Print out the pages onto cardstock (highly suggested) or regular printer paper.
2. Cut a swatch of fabric at least 2"x2". I suggest using pinking shears when cutting the fabric to keep the fabric from unraveling. Or you can serge the edges.
3. Attach the swatch to the page where indicated. Fabric can be stapled into place, or you can use a glue stick or double stick tape to attach each swatch firmly into place.
4. Fill in the information you have, especially the width & length of each item. Be sure to note the location of your storage item (no sense organizing if you don't know where to find it again). Fill in the other info as you have time.
5. Punch holes along one side of the page (best if printed onto cardstock), or insert the page into a plastic sheet protector.
6. Store your pages in a regular 3-ring binder (minimum 3" D-ring binders suggested) and add more swatch pages as you collect more stash.

I suggest you organize the cards by the main color of the fabric, then by yardage with the largest ahead of the smaller amounts. Place remnant cards at the end of each color section. Once you are done, you can easily shop in your own stash first!

New!
Fabric Swatchbook Organizer
5 pages

[52kb.] A pdf file for you to use as a personal fabric swatchbook, to help you record and keep track of the fabric you have in your collection. This is a newer and expanded version of my original (linked below).

This is designed for back to back printing on the first 4 pages, allowing one main project swatch each paper, with space for other swatches. It includes expanding details for a project, i.e. space for design sketches, notes, linings, closures & trim ideas, and a space for storage location. Once complete, it can act as a record of the completed project.

The last page is an updated version of the Personal Fabric Swatchbook Organizer below. It is good for holding swatches for 1-2 yard pieces or larger remnant fabrics that may not be a major project on its own. Place these at the end of each color section.

With thanks to Diane Yoshitomi for her "Taming Your Stash" class at Costume College 2008. She designed the original format that I have modified in part for my own use.

New!
Trim Swatchbook Organizer

[52kb.] A pdf file for you to use as a personal trim swatchbook, to help you record and keep track of just the trims you have in your collection. This is a stand alone yet updated version of the fabric & trim pdf below.

This is designed for single sided printing, allowing four trim swatches on each side/page. Note it also has a space for storage location.

Merchant Fabric Swatchbook Organizer

[22kb.] A pdf file for you to use as a fabric and trim swatchbook, to help you keep and record those samples from various merchants in order. There is space for merchant info at the top of each page, so you know which merchant carries your favorite fabric staples.

Personal Fabric & Trim Swatchbook Organizer

[22kb.] The original pdf file for you to use as a personal fabric and trim swatchbook, to help you record and keep track of the fabric you have in your collection. This is a little different than the merchant swatchbook above with space to note where you've stored your fabric, and what your plans are for the fabric.

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Other Free Items

Historic Sewing Patterns Inventory

An inventory template for the Bento database program. This is for Mac users only (sorry PC folks), but the template is ready for you to use to organize your historic & vintage sewing patterns. You must purchase Bento to use the free template. Follow the directions at the Bento/Filemaker site to download the template.

Braids & Buttons: Corded Closure Images

[1.1 meg] A pdf file showing images of various braided button closures, which Janet Arnold described as a "decorative froggings after the Polish fashion". "Frogs" are the modern term for this type of closure. Some appear similar to the those commonly seen today in Chinese fashions, while others are simpler. These images are mainly from the late 16th and early 17th. centuries, as worn by the English, German, Polish or Turkish people. Images are from portraits, woodcuts, and one extant garment, and are only a sample of images available. From a workshop I gave at the Barony of Nordwache's Academia (Kingdom of Caid), August 18th, 2007.

Tudor Shift (aka smock) Pattern in gif format. More info on this particular pattern, and how it came about, can be found in my Warderobe Account for the Tudor Shift. Layout of this pattern for personal use only. pdf version of shift layout (73k).